Category: Wesley Chapel

SPOTLIGHT ON: Don Pan International Bakery

By Gary Nager

If you’ve ever driven by the Don Pan International Bakery, located in the Shoppes at New Tampa plaza on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., just south of S.R. 56 (on the same side as Office Depot), but never stopped in for any of Don Pan’s delicious desserts, pastries, sandwiches, empanadas or café con leche, I hope this spotlight will convince you to finally stop in and enjoy some tasty Latin cuisine.

Don Pan is a small franchise that started in the Miami area, and eight of the current twelve locations are dotted up and down the east coast of Florida. There are two Tampa locations, both on N. Dale Mabry Hwy. (one in Carrollwood and the other in the South Tampa area), and the Wesley Chapel location is owned by Ricardo Perez, who is from Venezuela.

“All of these (pastry-style) sandwiches are what I grew up eating in Venezuela,” Ricardo says. “Everyone who tries them really seems to love them.”

Of course, Don Pan has empanadas in beef or chicken and pressed Cuban and other more “typical” Latin fare, but if you’re looking for a great ham and cheese sandwich, I recommend trying Don Pan’s cachitos instead. These Venezuelan delicacies have the ham and cheese baked into a tasty hoagie-shaped roll.

The items from Ricardo’s native country that I liked best, surprisingly (at least to me), were the cachapas, which are slightly sweet yellow corn pancakes, similar to (but sweeter than) arepas (which also are available at Don Pan). The cachapas are baked with a mild white cheese and I was told to try them covered with Don Pan’s unique shredded pork and then pressed (photo) and I’ll just say that I’m now hooked on ‘em.

But, Don Pan also has chicken puff pastries, cachitos without cheese, spinach strudel, as well as a great variety of sandwiches and other Latin “finger foods,” such as definitely different cheese “fingers.”

And, since it is still primarily a bakery, Don Pan also boasts a huge selection of a dozen or more cakes, cake slices and dessert pastries — from guava and cheese danish to different takes on tiramisu and Napoleons — that are well worth a try.

There’s even Venezuelan-style flan and tres leches desserts, plus truly delicious espresso, cafe con leche, marron (less milk than a con leche) and other coffee drinks and fresh fruit shakes. Don Pan’s breakfast specials start at just $3.75 and fast and delicious lunch specials start at just $4.95. Don Pan can even cater your next party.

So, stop in at Don Pan (1708 BBD Blvd.) any weekday, 7 a.m.-8 p.m., 8 a.m.-8 p.m. on Sat. or 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sun. For more info, call 994-6734 or visit them on Facebook. — GN

Neighborhood Nibbles & Business Bytes

Spa Moritz’s Elegant Grand Opening!

If you missed our ‘222’ Speakeasy Party on Jan. 14, I at least hope you got to attend perhaps the most elegant Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) ribbon-cutting event ever — when new Spa Moritz (located on Commerce Park Blvd. in Tampa Palms) owners Martin and Patricia Anello (at left in photo below) decided to not only cut a ribbon with the WCCC but also open the doors of their spectacular, European-style salon to more than 100 Chamber members and other friends and existing clients.

With truly delicious all-vegetarian food that Martin prepared himself, imported chocolates and great wine and cocktails served by Martin and the Spa Moritz staff, the highlights of the evening were still the dozens of free spa services and the great raffle prizes given away, including beautiful “real stone” jewelry by Erika Williner, who sells her original jewelry designs at the spa.

For more info about Spa Moritz, visit SpaMoritz.com or cal 813-971-4772.

Green Grocers & More Coming To WC In 2016

In our last issue, we had an article about some of the new “stuff” that’s coming on and around S.R. 56. Well, for those of you who live in New Tampa who have been waiting for a “green” grocer to come to the property located across from the main entrance to Hunter’s Green on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., Wesley Chapel may beat New Tampa to the punch.

There are no fewer than four supermarkets planned and all but one of them would have access to S.R. 56 — and at least three of them are being touted as possible “green” grocery chains such as Whole Foods, Fresh Market, Trader Joe’s and Sprouts.

Stage Left & Sprinkles Close

All of us at the Neighborhood News were truly saddened by the sudden closing following the close of regular business on Jan. 16 of Stage Left Bar & Kitchen on S.R. 54 in Lutz. Those who enjoyed (as we always did) visiting Stage Left for the Tuesday Open Mic night on Jan. 19 were notified by Stage Left’s Open Mic “host” Cal Olivier in a Facebook message on Jan. 18 that the popular restaurant and night spot, which featured live music every Tuesday-Saturday, would not be open the following evening.

Later that same day, co-owner Isabelle Dunleavy posted this message on Facebook:

“Yes kids, the buzz is true……. The restaurant is officially closed. ?

Thanks for reaching out but please understand & respect that it was a difficult decision to make and no, we don’t want to talk about the details…It hurts. But we know that God is good and His voice was very clear that it was time to pull the plug…

Thanks for the love & support and know that we will be ok.

We will miss our amazing employees (those that stayed loyal to us) and our nice customers and our awesome musicians!!!”

I consider Isabelle and her husband and co-owner Brian to be dear friends and I loved living so close to such a vibrant night spot with great food in the middle of Lutz.

A few weeks earlier, shortly after we went to press with our Jan. 1 New Tampa issue, where I named it as my third favorite ice cream or dessert place in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel in 2015, I was saddened to learn that Sprinkles Ice Cream Parlor, in the Northwood Plaza between the SuperTarget and Marshall’s, also had closed.

A note (photo) posted in the shop’s door shortly after Christmas said, “We have made the difficult decision to close Sprinkles effective immediately. We appreciate your support and will treasure the friendships we have made.”

Pollo Tropical on the way?

Pasco County’s planning staff is scheduled to meet next week with project engineers looking into building a Pollo Tropical restaurant at the Cypress Creek Town Center Development of Regional Impact (DRI, across from the new Tampa Premium Outlets mall) at the Northeast corner of State Road 56 and Wesley Chapel Boulevard.

The permit pre-submittal meeting is scheduled for Nov. 2. “Right now, it is just conceptual,” said project engineer Zach Thornton.

The permit proposal is looking at a 3,600-square-foot restaurant and a drive-through lane”. A pre-application conference was already held Feb. 18 regarding the site plan but, according to the meeting request form, changes have been made since that meeting.

The Pollo Tropical chain was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Kendall in Miami-Dade County, and is best known for its flame-grilled chicken. It has more than 180 locations and more than 3,000 employees mostly across the southern United States.

Neighborhood Nibbles and Business Bytes

Capital Tacos Opens, Kinda

Capital Tacos, the hugely popular local eatery with an original location at 6765 Land O’Lakes Blvd. (U.S. 41) in Land O’Lakes, has opened its second restaurant in the former location of Café Fresco at 27209 SR 56, in the plaza next to Sports + Field.

As the budding business transitions to having two locations, the hours of the SR 56 location are currently from 2-8 p.m. Friday through Sunday until further notice. You can follow facebook.com/CapitalTacos for the latest changes in the new location’s schedule.

The Land O’Lakes location is always packed, even at night, and the buzz on the Wesley Chapel Community Facebook page is that most of the local community is ready to embrace Capital Tacos’ affordable, tasty fare.

For more information, visit CapitalTacos.com or call 973-3777.— GN

Russell’s Western Wear Coming to S.R. 54

If you’ve been looking for a place to stock up on all of your favorite western gear close to home, look no further than the former RaceTrac convenience store located just east of I-75 on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel, which will become the fifth Florida location of Russell’s Western Wear.

Russell’s, a one-stop shop for cowboy boots, hats, jeans and apparel with stores in Ocala, Lakeland, Dover and on N. Dale Mabry Hwy. in Carrollwood, is expected to be open before the holidays, says marketing manager Chloe Gray. “We don’t have a specific date yet because we’re still working through the permitting and construction process,” Gray explains.

She says that a Wesley Chapel store made sense to reach the customers in between the Ocala store and the regional headquarters in Tampa.— MW & GN

Florida Orthopaedic Inst. Coming To Shoppes Of WC

Although the Shoppes of Wesley Chapel (on Bruce B. Downs {BBD} Blvd., across from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel) doesn’t yet have a restaurant tenant to fill the former D’Alessio Restaurant location, Shoppes leasing agent Barry Jackson of Momenta Real Estate says that the Florida Orthopaedic Institute has leased the remaining 6,000 sq. ft. of space (everything not already leased by Samantha Taylor’s Pure Health Fitness Studio) on the second floor of the plaza.

“It’s official, and we’re really excited,” says Florida Orthopaedic Institute’s director of marketing Donna Bossuyt. “We plan to open sometime in December.”

The Shoppes of Wesley Chapel office will be the 10th location for the medical group and will feature state-of-the-art X-ray technology, physical therapy and rehabilitation treatment, as well as at least three sub-specialty surgeons. Surgeries will not be conducted at the new location.

For more information, please visit FloridaOrtho.com.

Señor T’s Taking Over Macaroni Grill Location

The long-vacant former New Tampa Macaroni Grill, located on BBD, in front of the also-vacant former Sweetbay Supermarket has not been occupied for more than a year, but that’s about to change, as Señor T’s Mexican Restaurant is getting ready to move in.

A Señor T’s spokesperson says the new Mexican eatery will be the first link in a small, planned start-up chain of about seven locations, with a second location rumored to be moving into the former Macaroni Grill location on N. Dale Mabry Hwy. in Carrollwood. While the inside of the restaurant still is being renovated at our press time, Señor T’s plans to open on November 15. Once open, the restaurant will feature indoor and outdoor seating, a full premium liquor bar and mid-priced Mexican fare. — MW & GN

VIP Elite Barbershop’s Community VIP Event

If you’re looking for a great haircut at a great price, I can personally recommend VIP Elite Barbershop (20309 BBD, next to Bruster’s Ice Cream), even though I’ve never personally had a “fade” or any other razor cut before.

I took part in VIP’s “Community VIP” event on October 14, when men’s and kids’ haircuts were just $10, and you could even get the VIP Elite logo design in your cut (photo below; although I chose to not have that done) at no extra charge.

“We had some guys get Tampa Bay Lightning bolts, too,” says VIP co-owner Joanne Rivera, whose husband and Master Barber Omar cut my hair. “We had free food and beverages, provided by a number of sponsors. It was just one of our ways of giving back to this community we love.”

VIP is open seven days a week, but you can get the same, outstanding haircut I got from Omar — or any of VIP’s well-trained barbers — for just $10 on any “Ten Dollar Tuesday.” You also can get $5 off any haircut or hot shave with the coupon from the VIP Elite ad on page 34 of this issue.

Walk-ins are always welcome at VIP, or you can make appointments at VIPEliteBarbershop.com or by calling 994-4057. — GN

Tarek’s Cafe & Grill

A new breakfast, lunch and dinner restaurant is coming to the Shoppes at Amberly shopping plaza off Amberly Dr. in Tampa Palms, in the space we once called the Neighborhood News headquarters.

Tarek Elsayed, who has owned and operated Tarek’s Café & Grill on the University of South Florida (USF)’s Tampa campus for the past 23 years, is set to open a second location, which will take up not only our old offices, but also the former Spices of India market next door, totaling 4,300 sq. ft.

“I’ve been thinking about a second location for years,” Elsayed says. “The opportunity never came. But the location became available.”

Elsayed says the café at The Shops will serve all three meals in 150 seats and will feature an open-kitchen design. The restaurant also will offer vegan options, but will not serve alcohol. Elsayed says he hopes to officially open in early December.

For more information, please visit TareksCafe.com. — MW

Capital Tacos Trumping The Oakley’s Grill Rumor Mill

The Land O'Lakes Capital Tacos is the closest location to Wesley Chapel, but not for long. — The Land O’Lakes Capital Tacos is the closest location to Wesley Chapel, but not for long.

My friend Keith Oakley, the owner of the Oakley’s Grille on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in New Tampa, admits he’s been looking at locations in Wesley Chapel for several months but, at least at our press time, he still hasn’t signed a lease on a new Wesley Chapel restaurant.